


Unlikely

by koolaidescope



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Quidditch, Scorpius/Albus, love ft quidditch, not related at all to the cursed child, quidditch ft love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-08
Updated: 2017-09-08
Packaged: 2018-12-25 09:45:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12033330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koolaidescope/pseuds/koolaidescope
Summary: Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy are each others, arch nemesis, on and off the Quidditch pitch. When Albus become the captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team, it only makes things worse.All Al wants is a calm sixth year, but that's pretty unlikely.





	Unlikely

“Yes, mum, I have my broom,” Albus rolled his eyes as Ginny continued to bombard him with questions. 

“Well darling, you are the Captain this year! Not to mention you do have a history with forgetfulness,” she chided.

Harry returned from loading Albus’s bags onto the train. The faint lines of the lightning bolt that was once prominent still etched in his forehead, buried beneath years of wrinkles and smile lines. He was casting a warm grin toward Albus. 

“I’m so proud of you,” Harry smiled deeply, “but you best get going! The Hogwarts train will not even wait for the Chosen One, I sh-,” Harry prattled out before Al interrupted him. 

“Yes, dad I know, you and Uncle Ron and a flying car blah blah I know how it goes,” Al rolled his eyes but smiled anyway. He found it nearly impossible to ever be truly annoyed with his father. 

“Well go on then, James and Lily are already on the train,” Ginny said, giving her son one last squeeze. 

Albus hugged his father and started toward the train, carry on bag in tow. 

He climbed up the steps and made his way down the aisles, searching for his friends. He found them in a compartment toward the middle of the train. His brother James and cousin Fred sat on the benches, talking animatedly about this year's’ Quidditch World Cup. Albus sat down and removed his green and silver scarf before relaxing back into the seat.

“Albie my boy! What’s it like to be the youngest Quidditch Captain Slytherin’s ever seen?” Fred chuckled. 

“Oi Fred, stop taking the piss. I know you’re only giving me shit because you know Slytherin is going to beat you guys this year,” Al’s face settled into a confident grin. 

“As if anyone could top the glorious Gryffindor!” Fred mock-gasped. 

“I’m pretty sure Slytherin did. Last season,” Al bit back a smirk. The rest of the boys cracked up. 

“Hey, at least everyone on my team gets along,” Fred crossed his arms and stuck out his lower lip, pouting with his body language 

“Speak of the devil,” James muttered, a grin tugging at the right side of his mouth. 

Sure enough, walking past their open-doored compartment was a tall, pale blond Scorpius Malfoy. He stopped walking to glance into the cabin.

“Are you lot done staring or can I continue on my way?” He glared pointedly at each boy in the compartment, gaze landing on Albus’s shining Captain’s Badge. 

“Of bloody course you got Captain. The entire castle’s up your ass,” Scorpius snarled out, then leaned his tall frame against the door.

“Oh sod off, Malfoy. You wouldn’t be Captain material if you had a sweater made out of Viktor Krum himself,” Albus snarked, staring Scorpius down. “Not to mention the fact that your only job is to just sit up in the sky and then have a race.”

“Yeah, well, your only job is to put a ball through a hoop. Might as well being playing a muggle sport with all the hard work you do.” Scorpius’s face was turning red from his anger. 

“Alright boys that’s enough, maybe try to actually make it to Hogwarts before you kill each other?” James said, standing up to get in between them. 

“Excellent idea James,” Al huffed, picked up his bag, and made his way to change into his uniform, making sure to bump into Scorpius as hard as possible. 

When he returned to the compartment, he found that Scorpius had left. Thank Merlin. 

James paused his conversation with Fred to look at his brother.

“Seriously, Al. How are you going to captain a team with Scorpius on it?” James asked, concern written across his features. He may be an asshat most of the time, but he was still a good brother. 

“I’ll just have to find a reason to kick him off the team,” Al decided. He wasn’t being serious, because as much as he hated to admit it, Scorpius Malfoy was the best seeker Hogwarts has seen in years, and there would be no way to replace and train someone in time for the season. 

James’s concerned expression faded into a smile and the light mood of the compartment returned once again. Soon they would be at Hogwarts eating themselves into a coma, with Scorpius Malfoy long forgotten. 

 

*

 

As they entered the Great Hall, Al waved goodbye to his brother and cousin as he made his way to the Slytherin table and they went to the Gryffindor table. 

Al sat down next to Dominique Weasley and her boyfriend Alex Morris. The rest of the Quidditch team, save for Malfoy, joined him. They each offered him a cheerful “congratulations” as they sat down to wait for the Sorting Ceremony to begin.

“So, Albie are we winning the cup again this year, or what?” Desmond Roth grinned at him impishly. 

“Of course we bloody are mate, there’s no way I’m letting my dimwitted brother’s team win. He can pry the cup from my cold dead hands!” Al chuckled, his eyes sparkling the way they always did when he was talking about Quidditch. 

“That’s what I like to hear!” Lylah Bristow cheered out with the rest of the group, flicking her long black ponytail off her shoulder. 

As they prattled on about the upcoming season and school year, Albus could see Malfoy glaring at him from the corner of his eye. He was sat with the two other nastiest blokes in Hogwarts, Dax Crabb and Weston Gibs. If you ever want to know what someone who’s been dropped on their head as a baby, all you have to do is look at Dax and Weston. Both were stocky boys with buzzed hair, except Dax had black hair and Weston’s was blonde. Dax was also a bit leaner than Weston. It didn’t look like Malfoy was interested in their conversation as all he did was sneer at Albus. Honestly, it seemed like all Malfoy was put on the Earth to do was to be a pain in Albus’s side. He turned his attention back towards people who actually mattered, his friends.

“So, Dom, anything interesting happen to you guys this summer? We didn’t hear from you much.” Al smiled at his cousin.

“That’s because we we’re on bloody holiday most of the time. It was a whole ordeal. Victoire and Teddy got engaged on the beach and it was so romantic and blah blah blah. We all knew it was going to happen this summer, I don’t know why she made such a fuss about it!” Dom rambled, rolling her eyes and scoffing throughout her tale. 

Albus could always count on Dominique to be there to distract him from his unpleasant thoughts. 

 

*

 

That evening all Al could think about as he was laying in bed was how he was going to set up tryouts for the team without having Scorpius Malfoy try to take control of it. It was all he could do not to get up and walk about two beds over and strangle him. He just frustrated Albus to the tipping point. How could any one person think that the world owes them everything? Well, Albus thought, he is a Malfoy after all.   
He was a little nervous because all he could think about was the fact that he would have to replace both beaters and get a new chaser this year. He started rolling around, trying to get comfortable as he thought about how stressful it would be to manage a team and still do well in school. Maybe it hadn’t been such a good idea to accept the position after all. 

“Potter could you shut up? I can hear you thinking from here.” Malfoy snapped from the other side of the room. 

Albus just sighed and shot him the middle finger. He used a spell to close the drapes on his bed because he was too lazy to actually get up and do it. 

 

*

Albus glared at the trunk at the foot of his bed. Every year he had the same battle with it. No matter what, magical spell or typical key, it always took Albus at least three tries to open it. He really didn’t want to battle with it and just head down to breakfast, but he was still in his pyjamas and needed a clean uniform. 

He sighed and began the struggle with the lock, tugging and pulling and experimenting for at least five minutes when it finally popped open. He nearly collapsed with relief. 

He pulled out a slightly scruffy white button up, a pair of trousers that were getting too tight, and a Slytherin tie. He’d write home to tell his parents about his dire uniform situation, he decided. 

He also went ahead and threw his joggers and t-shirt on the bed for his run later, so that would be one less time he would have to fight with the chest from Hell. 

*

 

Al’s mouth nearly started watering at the thought of chocolate chip pancakes as he ran down the stairs, robes billowing behind him, to the Great Hall for breakfast. While he loved his mother's cooking, nothing quite beat the satisfying taste of a Hogwarts chocolate chip pancake drizzled with just the right amount of maple syrup topped with a cool whipped cream. Okay, so maybe Albus had a slight obsession with pancakes. He tried to eat healthy, he really did, but he’s a growing boy and all growing boys have the right to ingest as many pancakes as they desire, thank you very much. 

He was about halfway down the stairs when he felt the warmth of another person flying down the stairs with him. He looked up and saw the freckled profile of Alex Morris.

“Morning mate, has Dom talked to you lately?” He asked, still keeping in stride with Albus.

“Not other than yesterday, why?” Al glanced at him as they neared the Great Hall.

“I feel like she’s going to break up with me. She never spends time with me anymore and she always ditches me to make time for Violet Wood,” he all but pouted. 

“I’m sure she’s just excited to have a friend who’s a girl that’s not part of the Potter clan, but if you’re really that worried about it, is it me you should be talking to?” Albus chuckled and looked at Alex as he opened the door. 

“I guess you’re right. But still let me know if she mentions anything, yeah?” His left eyebrow rose. 

“Of course,” Al smiled and sat down with his friends, reaching eagerly for the pancakes.

“Have you lot gotten your timetables yet?” Desmond asked, before biting into a scone. 

“I haven’t I was going to grab mine after breakfast,” Al replied.

“I hope we don’t have Potions with the bloody Ravenclaw’s again. Being partnered up with one of them makes you feel like Cat in the Hat sitting next to the Encyclopedia Brittanica,” Lylah chuckled. 

“Don’t talk them up like that, Ly. You’ll only inflame their egos even more,” Desmond grinned. 

“As if that could ever happen. They already think they’re smarter than the entire bloody castle,” Al joined in, shoveling another bite of pancake into his mouth.

He felt a thwap on his head. 

“I heard that you prick. And at least Ravenclaw’s have some sense, all you idiots do is run around trying to pull pranks and find new ways to act a fool,” Lily chided, adjusting her brand new blue and black tie. 

“Oh baby sis, please don’t become a blimming know it all like the rest of them! You’re a first year there’s still time to save you!” Al grabbed her hand and pulled her close dramatically.

She yanked it back forcefully and scoffed. 

“Oh sod off! I’m telling mum that you and James are bullying me for my house!” She crossed her arms and ran off to the Ravenclaw table. 

He glanced over at the Gryffindor table and saw James chuckling and looking in Albus’s direction. 

“I swear first years are so naive. Especially the Ravenclaws,” Desmond laughed. 

“Hey don’t talk about my sister that way!” Al bit out.

“Mate, you were literally just taking the mick out here like crazy!” He replied.

“That’s because she’s my sister. I’m the only one allowed.” Albus snorted. 

“Oh, isn’t that sweet. Ickle Pottykins stick together and have each others backs! So sweet I could get a cavity!” Malfoy said, sitting down a few people diagonally to Albus. 

“Whatever, Malfoy. Are you only acting out because you don’t have any siblings to love you? Or anyone except your parents for that matter?” Al snarked, then wiped his mouth. 

Malfoy just sneered, looked away, and started piling his plate with food. Why did he have to try and get a rise out of Albus every single time they saw one another?

Albus stood up and looked at his group of friends. 

“So, is anyone coming with me to pick up our time tables or what?” He questioned. 

Desmond, Dom, Alex, and Lylah all wiped their mouths and stood up to follow Al to pick up their timetables. 

“What are we going to do about him?” Lylah asked, picking up her pace to match Al’s brisk speed. 

“There’s no way we can take him off the team, Ly. He’s the best seeker in this place.” Albus looked down at her. 

She brushed a flyaway piece of black hair from her face, clearing up her brown eyes, as they rounded a corner. 

“I know,” she sighed, “but I really do wonder why he is the way he is. I mean, his mum and dad are actually quite nice. Have you met Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy?” she asked. 

“Yeah, my dad introduced me to them when I was really young. My dad and him have this kind of respect thing? It’s weird, they’re not friends but every few months or so they’ll get a butterbeer together. I think it’s just to try and forget all the stuff they went through, you know?” Al said. 

“Yeah I get it. I couldn't even imagine what it must have been like for them.” She sighed. 

“But that still doesn’t explain Malfoy’s rotten attitude,” Al replied.

Lylah just shrugged.

 

*

Al placed his bag down beside his chair at the table in the spacious Potions classroom. He was just about to take his seat when Professor Wain cleared her throat. 

“Okay, listen up everyone. I’ve had it with everyone choosing the same partners for the past few years, so I’ve decided to do it first year style and assign your partners. You’ll find names on parchment in front of eachs eat. Find yours and look to your left. Whomever you see is your new partner for the rest of the year,” she grinned, almost wickedly. 

Albus glanced down and sure enough, there was square of parchment with a name scrawled in elegant handwriting. He picked his bag back up and wandered around until he found his desk. He heard a muffled curse from his left and an looked up to see the pale profile of Scorpius Malfoy. 

“Oh you have got to be bloody kidding me!” He jumped up out of his seat and walked down to Professor Wain.

“Professor is there anyway I could get a different partner? I find it hard to believe I’ll be able to get any work done with Malfoy. He’ll try to undermine all of my work!” Al spoke the words so quickly he was nearly out of breath when he finished. 

“I’m sorry Mr. Potter, but if I give you a new partner, I’ll have to give everyone a new partner, and that’s just not something I plan on doing. I partnered you up for a reason, so get back to your desk and take out some parchment, as our first lecture begins in four minutes,” she said, looking down the brim of her long nose out of her small glasses. 

Albus shrugged in defeat and climbed his way back up the steps to his desk, and turned to Malfoy, but before he could speak, Malfoy cut him off. 

“Look, I really need a good Mark in this class so if you could try your best not to be a complete idiot and let me do the work I need to, that would be great,” Malfoy scowled as he spoke. 

“Excuse me but do you expect me to just sit around while you do all the work? Unlike my brother I actually care about my education, Malfoy. So, no, I will not just sit idly by as you do your best to screw up our assignments,” Al bit back, crossing his arms.   
“I just want to be safe, considering your family history and all that. What, with every bloody Weasley and Potter seeming to never even show up in classes anyway,” he gestured to Dominique’s empty seat. 

Al was beginning to grow red in the face.

He opened his mouth to argue back, but he was interrupted by Professor Wain tapping the blackboard with her wand to begin the class. 

Of all the students in this bloody class, of course she would pair Albus with bloody Malfoy. Albus was beginning to feel like the universe was trying to play a cruel joke on him, trying to find ways to keep in in as close a proximity as possible to the one person in all of Hogwarts that Albus can barely stand to look at. He had his arm rested against the table and was only drawn from thought when he heard the scratch of quills all around him. He pulled out his own and tried to pay attention to what Professor Wain was explaining. It seemed syllabus week was going to be skipped in this potions class, and that they would be jumping immediately into lecture one. 

Al slumped in his seat as he paid as close attention as he could with his actual arch nemesis sat beside him. He glanced at Scorpius one last time and sighed. 

This was going to be a long year.


End file.
